What If?
by Beautifully Deranged
Summary: In their case the past didn't define their future, it only weighed it down. *A sorta two-shot of the non-romantic variety*
1. Chapter 1

Author Notes: I hope you guys enjoy! This little fictional scene wouldn't stay out of my head and I had to write it down.

Disclaimer: I do not seek to own Naruto, the gifted right of ownership has always fallen to Masashi Kishimoto.

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><p><strong>What If?- A One-shot<strong>

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><p><em>If I ever regretted <em>

_It was because I loved you_

_If I ever did the opposite_

_It was because the answer never changed._

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><p>It's five o' clock in the morning when the conversation comes up; when Sakura has the nerve to poke at a subject that both would rather bury deep.<p>

Surrounded by last night's pity-party, ramen lying abandoned on the coffee table with old photos, Naruto finds that he'd rather not have this conversation lying on Sakura's living room floor. But with him flat on his stomach, Sakura's petite hand twisted in his, it's hard to turn away from her desolate stare and pretend that she didn't exist-that he didn't care what _this_ was about.

"What if we had loved each other?"

It was such a simple question yet the dialogue to that answer ran too deep for Naruto to fully give it proper words. He knew what she meant and he wouldn't dream of playing dumb right at this moment. Sakura loved him and Naruto loved her but the idea of them in love, the demon container had long ago locked up thoughts of a 'them' just like the beast inside him. It didn't mean it still wasn't there though.

The empty silence seemed to have endured on too long because Sakura added more to the equation, taking the noiseless air as a sign that he didn't comprehend or that he was too uncomfortable to answer. Her weighted green eyes couldn't have looked more heartbreaking.

"I mean…sometimes I wish I had loved you like _that _back when we were sixteen Naruto, I always wonder what if, what if? What if I had loved that idiot who adored me, who cared for me, who I never once gave a chance? Don't you ever wonder too Naruto?

He's always wondered and still does. Sakura is never too far from his thoughts; it's inevitable practically sinful now that he has a girl on his arm. Shy Hinata, the girl who risked her life to remove Pein's rods from his body was supposed to be the blonds everything, yet his flow of mind always lingered on his rosette teammate. Naruto wanted to tell his best friend that it never had ended on his half that he would forever keep her close to his heart, but the future kept him from voicing his confession. After all, he knew they had no future-Sasuke had seen to that.

He was dead, forever gone, and yet he still managed to control their lives so effortlessly. He was even more cunning in death.

She's staring off into space when he finally snaps his own weary azure eyes to see her; she's staring at everything and anything but him. Naruto takes the opportunity to pull on her dainty hand and tug her astonished form towards his. They're face to face, a fresh step away from it being inappropriate, and tells her what they both need to hear, what they always avoid doing.

"Sakura there's always going to be what if's in our heart but…We can't live in the past…not anymore…it's time to for us to move on, we deserve it."

It's like an oath passing his lips more so than a reassurance. It feels earnest, but more importantly, it's the truth.

Sakura looks confused hurt even but Naruto takes his other hand, the one not holding Sakura, and cups her face only to wipe his single thumb under the softness of her eye. He seals the deal.

"To answer your question I've wondered too, however my love for you as a friend bypasses _always_ the affection in which I regard you as more than a friend. I will always love you Sakura and I know you love me. It should never get more complicated than that. It's time to be happy."

The light in her eyes, it was like dawn springing up highlighting the dew caught in them. The tears were flowing-Sakura style- and the blond headed man knew she, no they, were going to be alright.

Naruto took her fully into his chest, her sobbing stretched on in the wake of the morning. Though when she was done, was healed, she sweetened the promise with her own words.

"You're late for your date with Hinata. Don't leave her waiting at Ichiraku."

Naruto couldn't remember the last time he laughed so hard.

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><p>End<p>

Author Notes: As always please have a generous soul and review! I would love some feedback. ;)


	2. Chapter 2Explanation

Author Notes: Howdy guys, Beautifully Deranged in the house. First to address, is no this is not a continuation of my Sakura and Naruto One-shot but rather a fun interpretation of me explaining some of the concerns that I found in my reviews. I was surprised by the negative feedback I got, not that I minded because criticism is always welcomed, good and bad. I just felt kind of horrible that no one got my One-shot. (I'll practice, I promise.) So here's a little something- something to help you guys see where I was coming from! Read on!

Disclaimer: I do not seek to own Naruto, the gifted right of ownership has always fallen to Masashi Kishimoto.

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><p><strong>Explanation<strong>

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><p>"Hey Naruto…Naruto come here!"<p>

The wave of Sakura's hand was infectious; it was flailed in a hurried fashion and promised excitement. He immediately made his way over.

"What is it Sakura?" The blond inquired as he stood behind her seated form, the glare of the computer screen a siren call.

"Do you remember that story that Beautifully Deranged wrote about us?"

Naruto nodded and to add emphasis, he hummed a quick affirmative as well.

"Well it seems like nobody quite got what she wrote and are quite upset at what she _did_ write down."

Naruto's eyes bugged out of head upon hearing this. "You're kidding Sakura-chan!"

"Of course not dummy." She turned in her swivel chair and swatted his side, "Just take a look for yourself."

Naruto hunkered down to the level of the computer and to his amazement there it was, bad review city complete with snarky accompaniment. What he didn't get was the whole where's your romance thing?

"Sakura, why do these people keep insisting that the story was supposed to be romantic when it wasn't listed for that genre? Did they not read the category selection it was under?"

She rolled her eyes; count on knuckle-headed Naruto to point out the obvious.

"Obviously ramen boy, just because our names were listed together doesn't mean we need to be romantically involved in every story, it's a shame they missed the whole hurt/comfort/friend thing."

Naruto laughed then merrily teased out, "Well Sakura-chan not everybody likes to be so thorough when they read."

She snorted lightly and retorted back, "It would help them compute the actual content and tone of the subject."

"Yeah your probably right Sakura, they didn't even get that on my side it was unrequited love and that you wondering 'what if?' was just voicing out a potential scenario because Sasuke was gone. We both know you only love me as a _friend._"

"Well I guess they took that whole 'I love you" business as that we were both in love with each other."

Sakura looked straight at her blond teammate, face straight and serious.

"I love you Naruto."

Naruto, looking just as equally somber, replied back.

"I love you too Sakura."

Two seconds of silence filled the room until both couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing. The guffaws lasted a whole five minutes and by the end both were wiping tears from their eyes.

The unanimous, "So funny" spoken out loud by both could be heard with amusement lacing their voices.

Swerved in Naruto's direction already the pinkette took the time to point out something else.

"One reviewer was actually confused as to why the story wasn't listed under Naruto/Hinata."

Naruto took a minute to ponder, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Well I am with Hinata in the One-shot so I can sorta get it but she's only mentioned by name, you and me were actually there, also we were basically the main gist of the story."

Sakura pouted but then sighed in defeat.

"I wish people could have gotten the whole message of the story ya know? Both of us were basically stuck in the past thinking that the only options we had left were each other. When in reality we just needed to move on. Me thinking 'What if?" wasn't going to make me like you more than a friend and you harboring a unrequited love wasn't going to magically make us become a couple. We both basically realized that staying in the past wasn't helping us and that we both had our own separate futures that didn't consist with both of us together."

Sakura's slumped figure told him everything he needed to know, so he crouched down in front of her and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up immediately.

"Sakura they're just reviews, you know that Beautifully Deranged is just starting out so she's probably trying to figure out where she went wrong and we definitely know she won't take any of these comments to heart, plus we can't control how people interpret her story."

"Your right," Sakura breathed out. "I know…it's just I think she's good or at least starting out that way, I just know she'll do better the next time."

Naruto stood up, satisfied she was fine, and gave her a thumbs up with a big grin.

"Believe it!"

Sakura smiled and swirled back to face her computer intent on reading more, but before she could even swerve her mouse Naruto called out.

"Oh and Sakura-chan?"

She reluctantly spun around to face the blue-eyed boy.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Their giggling mayhem was heard all throughout Konoha.

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><p>End<p>

Author Notes: I hope this helps, if anybody is still confuzzled message me (I don't mind) or review!


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